Method of and apparatus for the liquid treatment of artificial continuous filamentary materials



May 1951 R. w. STANLEY ET AL 2,551,646

A METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE LIQUID TREATMENT OF ARTIFICIAL CONTINUOUS FILAMENTARY MATERIALS Filed Feb. 29, 1944 INVENTORS Mam; BY M4. m

ATTORNEY Iatentec] May 3, I951 UNIED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE LIQUID TREATMENT OF ARTIFICIAL CON TINUOUS FILAMENTARY MATERIALS Richard W. Stanley, Drexel Hill, and William B.

Lowe, Chester, Pa., assignors to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., 21. corporation of Delaware Application February .29, 1944, Serial No. 524,428

6 Claims.

In accordance with the present invention, the

continuously traveling filamentary material is subjected to a suitable liquid or a plurality of liquids in succession and is subjected to centrifugal force to remove the liquid prior to collecting, or prior to drying or in advance of each of the subsequent steps of liquid application.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is an elevation showing one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation with parts cut away and partially in cross-section, looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of a modification,

Figure 4 is an elevation of another modification, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the modification shown in Figure 4.

One simple form of the invention is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, in which the continuous filamentary material of indefinite length proceeds continuously about or over a liquid-treating roller 2 which rotates partially immersed in a liquid bath 3 and the filamentary material then proceeds to the centrifugal device l, in which it makes a plurality of helical turns. As shown more particularly in Figure 2, the centrifugal device 4 comprises a cylindrical member 5, about which the filamentary material makes a plurality of helical turns. The cylindrical member 5 is of such diameter with respect to the speed of travel of the filamentary material that the liquid thereon is thrown off by centrifugal force. The guard 6 is arranged to surround the cylindrical member 5 and serves to collect the liquid thrown off, a drain '1 being connected at the base. A slot or notch 8 may be provided in the guard 6 to provide passage of the filamentary material as it enters the centrifugal device. A similar slot or notch may be provided in the guard 6 to afford exit of the filamentary material. However, instead, the cylindrical member 5 may extend laterally outward from the guard 6, as shown, so that the filamentary material may be advanced laterally beyond the guard 6 and be removed from the cylindrical member 5 from the projecting portion thereof as shown in Figure 2.

While the filamentary material is shown pro- 2 ceeding about a roll 2 immersed in a trough containing the bath 3, the liquid may be applied in any other suitable manner, such as by spraying the running length of material without the use of a roll, or merely by dripping the liquid upon the traveling filamentary material.

The cylindrical element 5 may be a suitable form of thread-advancing, thread-storing device, such as a thread-advancing, thread-storing reel of conventional construction comprising a pair of sets of interdigitating bars, which by suit-- able known movements advance the thread axially of the reel in a plurality of spaced helical turns. Alternately the thread-advancing device 5 may comprise a cylindrical member corresponding roughly to the diameter shown for the reel 5 assisted by a parallel guide having a multiplicity of grooves or grooved pulleys for displacing successive turns about the cylindrical member laterally thereof.

It should be noted that the diameter of any liquid applying roll, such as the roll 2 or an equivalent thread-advancing device which may be substituted therefor, is such that little or no liquid is thrown centrifugally therefrom, whereas the cylindrical member 5 is of such a small diameter that the excess liquid is thrown off by centrifugal force as the filamentary material travels continuously about the member 5 in a plurality of spaced helical turns at the same linear peripheral speed as that taken about the roll or equivalent treating member 2.

By this procedure, a large portion of the liquid applied is removed from the filamentary material before it goes subsequently to a drying device, or to the next device for treating with another liquid. This saves a great deal in the drying capacity needed, whether this is performed continuously upon the traveling filaments or after the filaments have been put in the form of a collected mass. In addition, where the centrifuging device is applied to remove one liquid in advance of subsequent treatment with another liquid, considerable economies are effected in the subsequent liquid, in that it is not needed to neutralize excessive quantities of the proceeding liquid when the two liquids are of different pH, and in that when the subsequent liquid to be applied merely serves to wash out the previous liquid, considerably less of the subsequent liquid is needed for this effect. In addition, the subsequent liquid is not so seriously contaminated with the previously applied liquid or the byproducts obtained by its use, with the accompanying advantage of reducing the burden of any subsequent fortification or recovery system for preparing the various liquids for recycling.

Figure 3 shows a modification in which the centrifuging device 4' is displaced axially from the liquid-treating device 2' through which the filamentary material proceeds in advance thereof. Thus the liquid treating device comprises a cylindrical member 9 of large diameter mountedv for rotation by a hollow shaft in driven by a bevel gear I I. The centrifuging device comprises an axially displaced cylindrical member I2 of relatively small diamete such that the speed of the filamentary material about the second. mem-- ber is in excess of that which will cause the throwing outward of the liquid by centrifugal force, while the speed of the material about the first cylindrical member is not so high as to cause such centrifuging. The small cylindrical member I2 is mounted upon the solid shaft I3; which extends through the first hollow shaft l and is driven by a bevel gear I4. A common driving shaft l5 with associated bevel gears I6 and IT mesh with the gears I 4 and H respectively to effect the rotation of the members at different speeds, so that the peripheral speed-ofthe continuous filamentary material about the small cylindrical member 9 is the same as that about thelarge cylindrical member [2. Associated with the two cylindrical members is a guide bar [8 having a plurality of grooves which serve to displace the turns of filamentary material laterally of the preceding turns on the respective members. A supply head IQ for suitably spraying the large drum 9 may be provided above it and a drain pan 29 may be positioned therebelow to catch any drippings therefrom. A guard 2| may be placed about the smaller drum, anclmay be provided with a drain 22, which may also be connected with the pan beneath. the large cylindrical member 9; The filamentary material proceeds from a starting point on the large drum 9 at such a distance away from the small drum l2 that the desired'number of helical'turn's' of the filamentary material then proceeds through the centrifuging device 4' from which it'finallyleaves to a subsequent liquid treatment'or drying device.

Figures 4 and5' illustrate an arrangement in which there are shown a plurality of liquid'treating devices and a plurality of intermediate centrifuging devices for separating successive liquids. Thus the continuous filamentary material may proceed over the thread-advancing reels 2a, 2b and Zn upon each of which the material'may be treated withdiiferent liquids by themeans 3a, 3b an, and after leaving each liquid treating reel, it mayproceedabout' on of the: intermediate centrifuging devices 4a, 4b

and in comprising'a thread-advancing reel 5a, 5b and. En having sufliciently small diameter to throw off' the liquid previously applied by centrifugal force;

From material may proceed'to a thread-advancing reel 23, on which it may be dried in conventional fashion, then to collecting means 24 thr0ugh a suitable traverse guideZS.

The liquid treating reelsand the intervening centrifuging reels may be arranged in a concatenate series, in Which each reel is ofiset laterally and axially from the preceding reel. This arrangement may be utilized for. the continuous treatment with a series of liquids of filamentary material, such as yarns and'the like, f orthe purpose of preparing them for subsequent textile. processing and fabricating. Alternatively the last centrifuging device 4n, the

the system may be used for continuously treating freshly spun artificial filamentary material, such as that from viscose cuprammonium cellulose, cellulose acetate, proteinous fibers, such as those from casein soya bean protein and the like. In either case, the particular number of liquid treating reels depends upon the number of liquid treating stages desired for the particular process. Thus, for viscose, a separate reel may be used for preliminary washing, desulfurizing, re-Washing, bleaching, antichlo treating, washing, and final application of a soft finish, and after each of these stages of liquid treatment, the continuous filamentary material may be subjected to a centrifuging reel to remove the previous liquid to prevent intermingling with the next liquid, or to facilitate final drying, in the case of the last liquid treatment stage. In certain instances, it maybe desired to omit one of the intermediate centrifuging reels when there is no particular advantage in separating the preceding liquid from that which would follow. While Figures 4 and 5 illustrate an arrangement of the reels such that they are staggered in horizontal rows,.they may be arranged sothat they are stepped in a vertical plane or in any plane inclined to the horizontal.

While preferred embodiments have been illustrated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative, and thatchanges in modifications may be made therein without departing from the spiritand the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. The method of processing filamentary material-of indefinite length comprising applying a liquid to the material and then continuously passing. the material through a plurality of axiallydisplaced turns in a helical path at sufficient velocity to throw off the liquid from all points around the helix by centrifugal force While supporting the material at numerous spaced intervals throughout the path so that it cannot deviate substantially from the helical path during its passage therethrough, intercepting substantially all of the liquid thrownoff within-a confining surface spaced from and surrounding-.the-path substantially completely, and collecting theintercepted liquid awayfrom the pathfor subsequent disposal.

2. The method of processing filamentary ma-- terial of indefinite length comprising passing the materialat-a substantially constant linear speed through a path comprising a plurality of helices each comprising a plurality of turns, continuously applying successive liquids to the material as it passes through certain of the helices having suffi ciently large radius that substantially none of the liquidis thrown off by centrifugal force at the linear speed of travel of the material therethrough and continuously removing at least some ofthe liquids from the material before the application of the succeeding liquid thereto as itpassesthrough certain other smalle helices having a sufiiciently small radius to throwthe liquid offthe material from all points aroundthe helices bycentrifugal force-at the linear speed of travel of the material therethrcugh.

3. The method of processing filamentary materialof indefinitelength comprising passing the material at a substantially constant-linear speedthrougha path comprising a-plurality of helices each comprising a plurality of turns, continuously applying. a liquidto the material as it passes through one of the helices having sufiiciently large radius that substantially none ofthe liquid is thrown off by centrifugal force at the linear speed of travel of the material therethrough and then continuously removing at least some of the liquid from the material as it passes through a subsequent smaller helix having a sufiiciently small radius to throw the liquid off the material from all points around the helix by centrifugal force at the linear speed of travel of the material therethrough.

4. Apparatus for the liquid treatment of filamentary material comprising a plurality of thread-advancing, threadstorage devices arranged for receiving the material in succession, each device comprising at least one rotatable, generally cylindrical member, the member of at least one of the devices having a comparatively large radius with respect to that of the immediately succeeding one of the devices which receives the material directly from said device having the large radius member, means for applying liquid to the material as it passes over at least one of the devices having the large cylindrical members, means for operating the devices at such speeds that the linear speed of the material is substantially the same on all of them, the speed being such and the radii of the cylindrical members being such that excess liquid is thrown off the material by centrifugal force as it passes over the devices having a member of small radius and substantially none is thrown oil the devices having a member of large radius and a guard for each ofthe devices having a member of small radius, said guard extending completely around the device with which it is associated whereby it intercepts and collects the liquid thrown off away from the material.

5. Apparatus for the liquid treatment of filamentary material comprising a plurality of thread-advancing reels arranged for receiving the material in succession, at least one of the reels having a comparatively large radius with respect to that of the immediately succeeding one of the reels which receives the material directly from said reel having the large radius member, means for applying liquid to the material on at least one of the large reels, means for rotating the reels at such speeds that the liner speed of the material is substantially the same on all of them, the speed being such and the radii of the reels being such that the excess liquid is thrown off the material by centrifugal force as it passes over each small reel and substantially none is material.

thrown ofi as it passes over each large reel, and a guard extending completely around each small reel to intercept and collect the liquid thrown off away from the material.

6. Apparatus for the liquid treatment of filamentary material comprising a plurality of threadadvancing reels arranged for receiving the material in succession, each reel being staggered with respect to the preceding reel so that its receiving end is opposite the discharging end of the preceding reel, a plurality of the reels having a comparatively small radius with respect to that of the others, each of the small reels being arranged between two succeeding large reels, means for applying liquid to the material on at least some of the large reels, means fo rotating the reels at such speeds that the linear speed of the material is substantially the same on all of them, the speed being such and the radii of the reels being such that the excess liquid is thrown off the material by centrifugal force as it passes over each small reel and substantially none is thrown oiT as it passes over each large reel, and guard means extending completely around each small reel to receive the liquid thrown off the material thereon and to collect the liquid received away from the RICHARD W. STANLEY. WILLIALE B. LOWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,734,737 Martindell Nov. 5, 1929 1,838,538 De Wolf Dec. 29, 1931 1,936,651 Willis Nov. 28, 1933 2,002,994 Hartmann et a1 May 28, 1935 2,002,996 Hoefinghofi May 28, 1935 2,045,252 Renfroe June 23, 1936 2,177,323 Kirkendall Oct. 24, 1939 2,188,905 Knebusch Feb. 6, 1940 2,189,195 Burkholder Feb. 6, 1940 2,251,931 Gundelfinger Aug. 12, 1941 2,416,533 Naumann Feb. 25, 1947 I FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 557,607 Germany Aug. 25, 1932 

